Scotland is suffering from a chronic lack of well qualified tradesmen because school leavers opt for subjects such as media studies, in the belief that they will secure well-paid white collar jobs.

But Mr Hill, managing director of engineering firm Scotserve Bottling Services Ltd, insists that school leavers would be better rewarded by working their way up from the bottom rather than struggling to find a rare £30,000-a-year first job.

It’s not just about learning from a textbook then walking into a job

James Hill

He also said apprenticeships help create better citizens with “greater life experience” and added: “Nowadays young people expect to earn £30,000 plus straight away. But it’s not just about learning from a textbook then walking into a job.

“We need to get back to a time when people started at the bottom. When you have to work your way up, you get to know what you’re doing, and you get rewarded for what you put in.

“It is all about hard work. That’s how it was for me, but what I’m seeing is university graduates who really can’t do the job asked of them.”

Mr Hill was taken on as an apprentice with Scotserve, in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, after leaving school in 1996, and became an engineer when his four-year training ended.

In January 2006 he raised enough money to buy out the owner, becoming the managing director at the age of 25.

Today Scotserve is an industry leader in providing specialist engineering for the food and drinks industry, particularly in whisky manufacturing. This year its turnover will exceed £1million for the first time.

Mr Hill, whose company will sponsor Edinburgh amateur football club Duddingston Athletic this season, has a number of current and former apprentices on his books.